Raids done to settle scores, says CM Ramesh
Mr Ramesh said that the BJP was conspiring to implicate politicians in Andhra Pradesh as it had done in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
HYDERABAD: Rajya Sabha MP C.M. Ramesh said the Centre was using teh income-tax department to settle political scores. Speaking to the media on Friday, he claimed that Prime Minster Narendra Modi was targeting his political opponent by unleashing regulatory and enforcement agencies.
Mr Ramesh said that the BJP was conspiring to implicate politicians in Andhra Pradesh as it had done in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Unable to face a barrage of corruption charges like the Rafale aircraft deal, Mr Modi had resorted to terrifing political leaders opposing him by such raids.
“My companies had paid Rs 200 crore as income-tax to the authorities in the past four years. Our auditors are complying with all the regulatory requirements,” he said.
Apprehending that the raids on his business houses were at the behest of YSRC leaders Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy and Vijaya Sai Reddy, he said they were openly giving statements that income-tax authorities would raid his business concerns. “I was astonished at how Jagan and Co got advance information of the I-T raids,” Mr Ramesh said. “I will not be terrified by the raids” he said adding that they were not normal inspections but politically motivated attacks on business houses.